Hydraulic pressure generating and applying apparatus.



J. W. NELSON. HYDBAULIG PRESSURE GENERATING AND APPLYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1908.

942,736; Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

III/VENTOR mg? ATTRIVEY J. W; NELSON. HYDRAULIC PRESSURE GENERATING AND APPLYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1908. 942,736. Patented Dec. 7,1909, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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u I k J. W. NELSON. HYDRAULIC PRESSURE GENERATING AND APPLYING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec 7 1909 a SHEETS-SHEET a.

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JAMES W. NELSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y,

HYDRAULIC PRES SURE GENERATING AND APPLYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

Application filed-February 20, 1908. Serial No. 416,842.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES W. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Pressure Generating and Applying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to apparatus for generating and applying hydraulic pressure, with more particular reference to exceedingly powerful jacks adapted to use in locations and under conditions which render necessary or desirable the separation of the pressure generating means from the pressure applying means, with means located in close proximity to applying means for controlling both the generation and application of pressure.

In a co-pending application, filed January 21, 1908, Ser. No. 412,026, I have shown and described a simpler form of apparatus of this character, in which a simple single-piston pump is employed. In another copending appllcation filed January 27, 1908, Ser. No. 412,855, I have shown and described a more powerful apparatus which includes two simple single-piston pumps, the controlling means being adapted to render one of said pumps alone operative or both thereof, as desired. The present invention contemplates a still more powerful device in which three or more singldpiston pumps are employed, the pressure controlling means being common to all of said pumps and of such character that'a single operator, stationed near the ram or rams, who is in position to note the progress and effect of the work, may control and regulate the effect of the pumping operations.

The present invention may be said to reside in the provision of separate controlling means of the character above outlined common to three or more individual pumping mechanisms which will automatically render effective the operation of one or more of said pumping mechanisms if individually 0 erated, and which, if jointly operated, either manually or mechanically or from a common source of power, may be manually controlled to render one or more of the pumps inoperative and finally relieve the pressure in the ram chamber or chambers.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica tion, and in Which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View, with one of the rams in section, of a complete apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is .an enlarged longitudinal section of the separate pressure controlling member; Fig. 8 is a reduced cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar section on the verse section through the lower part of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a view showing the manner of coupling the three pumps to a driving shaft and thus providing a common source of power.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numerals 11, 12 and 13 refer to three pumps which for the purposes of this description may be considered as-being of the single-pis ton type. and which may be of the same or different capacities. When they are the subjects of individual operation, as indicated in Fig. 1, the device may doubtless be given a wider range of usefulness by making these pumps of different capacities for operation in the manner which will be hereinafter set forth. In the construction and arrangement. shown in Fig. 1, these pum s are provided with individual pumping evers 14, 15 and 16, respectively, and when jointly operated obviously require the attendance of three operators. When operated individually, it will be apparent that they may be located so close to each other that a single operator may step from one to the other and selectively operate the particular pump of desired capacity. These pumps are without valves, each comprising a pump bore in which a piston is mounted to reciprocate upon operation of the pump lever, and are each provided with a single duct leading from the bottom of the pump bore and at all times open through a suitable connection to a pipe which serves the double function of supplying liquid to the under pressure generated by the pump. In the pump 11, the pipe 17 leads from the pump chamber, while the pipe 18 has a corresponding connection with the pump cham- .ber'in the pump 12 and the p1pel9 leads line 4 4 of Fig.2; Fig. 5 is a reduced transpump chamber and transmitting the liquid upon a heavy supporting standard 21 which chambers 40 and 47 are connected by means serves to retain the body 20' at all times in a E The lowerv substantiall vertical position. end of the body 20 is bored to provide the central chamber 22, the lower end of which, is closed and sealed by means of the screwplug In this bore 'or chamber 22 is mounted the push-tube 24, the lower end of which is provided with the ii -turned flange 25 which provides a seat for the spring 26 in compression between said flange and the upper end of the bore 22 and. tends to yieldingly force said tube 24 to its lowermost position. The flange 25 leaves a central aperture -27 permitting the flow of liquid to the upper end of the bore or chamber 22.

The upper end ofthe member 20 is provided with the three similar and symmetrically located bores 28, 29' and 30, each of which extends from the top of said body 20 to the larger bottom bore 22. As shown in Fig. 2, the top of the bore 28 is closed and sealed by means of the screw-plug 31 and the top of the bore 29 by means of the SCI'BW-r plug 32. The top of the bore 30 is closed in a similar manner by means of a precisely similar screw-plug which,to avoid confusion, is not shown in the drawings.

The lower portion of the bore 28 is of smaller diameter, being enlarged at 34 to provide a seat for a valve 35, which has a stem36 extending downwardly into the bore 22 nearly, but under normal conditions not quite to the top of the push-tube 24. The upper and larger portion of the bore 28 is preferably again reduced in diameter by means of the removable plug 37, the top of which provides a seat for the valve 38 which has a stem 39 projecting downwardly and extending nearly but under normal conditions not quite to'the valve-35. The plug 31 whichseals the top of the bore 28 preferably provides a chamber 40 in which may be mounted a spring 41 to facilitate the firm seating and quick action of the valve 38. In a precisely similar manner the bore 29 is provided'with a valve 42 which has a downwardly projecting. stem 43 extending into the chamber 22 and preferably terminating-for reasons hereinafter explaineda slightly less distance from the top of the push-tube 24 than the distance between the end of the stem 36 and the top of said tube,

' Above the valve 42, the bore 29 is again re- .similarly presses against the valve 45. The

valve bore 30 is of precisely similar configuration and correspondingly valved. The

of a duct 49, and the corresponding chamber near the upper end of the duct 30 is open to said duct 49, and therefore to the chambers 40 and 47, by n'ieans of the duct 50.

From the valve bore 29, between the valves 45 and 42, leads the duct 51 which has a lateral extension 52 into and through the threaded plugs 53 to which issecured the coupling or connection at the end of the pipe 19, whereby said pipe is open through said duct to the valve bore 29 between said valves 45 and 42. Similarly, a duct 53 leads from the valve bore 28 between the valves 38 and 35, which duct has a lateral extension 54 extending into and through the plug 55 which is threaded for the reception of the coupling or connection 56 at the end of the pipe 18, whereby said pipe is open through said ducts to the valve bore 28 between the valves 38 and 35. Ina precisely similar manner, a duct 57 (see Fig. 4) leads from the bore 30 between the two valves in said bore, to and through a lateral extension thereof in the plug 58, which is threaded for the reception of a suitable coupling or connection at the end of the pipe 17, whereby said pipe is open through said duct to the bore 30 between the two valves in said bore.

'From the chamber 40 neanthe upper end of the bore 28 and above the valve 38, a lateral duct 59 leads to and through the plug 60, which is threaded for the reception of a coupling or connection 61 at the end of the pipe 82 which, througha similar coupling 63 at the other end thereof and the duct 64 in the ram cylinder 65, leads to the pressure chamber 66 underneath the ram 67. Similarly, from the chamber 47 above the valve 45 in the bore 29, a lateral duct 68 leads .to and through the threaded plug 69 to which is secured the coupling or connection 70 at the end of the pipe 71 which leads through the coupling 72 to the pressure chamber underneath the ram 73 in the ram cylinder 74.

At the lower end of the member 20 is provided a lateral bore to' the lower end of the vertical bore 22, which is threaded for the reception of the screw plug 75 which closes and seals said bore. This plug 75 provides bearings for the shaft 76, projecting into the bore 22 and having mounted on its interior the cam 77 by means of a lever 78 which issuitably secured in the head 79 at the eX-- terior end of said shaft.

A lateral duct 80 leads from the bore 22 of hydrostatics. \Vhether or not the pump downwardly seating and therefore are norvchamber underneath the piston in said to and through the nipple 81, by means of l which a flexible pipe or tube 82 is connected to the member 20 and open at all times to I the interior of the bore 22. The pipe 82 leads to thetank or barrel 83. or other con 1 venient source of liquid supply, which is preferably located in an elevated position to facilitate the flow of liquid through the pipe 82 under the force of gravity.

It will be noted that all of the valves are mally seated under equal liquid pressures. The upper valve in each of the bores 28, 29 I and 30 is, however, positively seated under action of its spring. It will therefore be apparent that when one of the pumps alone is operated, as. for example, the pump 13, the lip-stroke of the piston in said pump will cause the formation of a partial vacuum in the pump chamber and the flow of liquid, under the unequal pressures thus created, from the tank 83, or other source of supply, through the pipe 82, into the lower portion of the bore 29 and past the valve 42, which it easily unseats, and thence through the duct 51 and the pipe 19 to the chamber underneath the piston in the pump 13. Upon the down stroke of said piston, the excess of pressure above the valve 42, assisted by the force of gravity, will seat said valve and the liquid'will be forced upwardly through the upper portion of the bore 29, past the valve 45, which it easily unseats, into the chamber 47 where it is divided between the ducts leading to the two pipes 62 and 71, through which the liquid is directed into both ram chambers. The pressure valves at the top of the bores 28 and 30'remaining seated, it will be apparent'that the pump 13 (and the same is true of any one of said pumps) may be alone operated for the purpose of the generation of increased power in View of reduced speed under the well-known principles 13 is operatedor both pumps 11 and 13- it will be similarly apparent that the. upstroke of the'piston in the pump 12 will cause the flow of liquid from the source of supply through the pipe 82 into the bore 22, thence past the valve 35 in the bore 28 and through the duct 55 and the pipe 18 to the pump. Upon the down-stroke of this pis-. ton, the valve 35 will be seated under the excess of pressure above the same, and the liquid from the pump 12 will be directed through the upper portion of the bore 28 past the valve 38 and into the chamber 40, wher'elit is similarly divided between the two rams or pressure chambers in the manner hereinbefore described. It will be similarly apparent that irrespective of operation of the pumps 12 and 13, up-stroke of the piston in the pump 11 will cause the flow of liquid from the source of supply to the pump will therefore be seen that without in anyway manipulating the valves in the member 20, or otherwise necessitating any manual controlling operations, any one, any two, or all of said pumps may be operated and the operations thereof be effective.

If speed is desired, and therefore the foreing of a large volume of the liquid into the pressure chambers, the three pumps may be operated until such time as it is desired to sacrifice speed for increased power at which time ceasing the operation of one or more of said pumps will leave effective the operations of the remaining pumps or pump. Should these pumps be located in such positions, relative to the ram members of the device, that signaling is impossible or (lilticult, it will be seen that an operator stationed at the location of the valve controlling means may himself render one or more of said pumps inoperative by turning the lever 78 through an arc suflicient to raise the push tube 24 until the end thereof has contacted with the lower end of the stem 43 and raised the valve 42 off its seat without. however, interfering in any way with automatic action of any of the remaining valves.

For this purpose I vary the lengths of the lower valve stems in the bores 29 and 30. the valve 42 being first forced off its seat, which renders the pump 13 alone inopera tivealthough the pumping operations are continued, the down-strokeof the piston in said pump. forcing the liquid along the path of least resistance and therefore back into the tank 83. By continuing rotation of said lever 78 through a slightly greater are, another of the lower valves in said bores is similarly held off its seat, whereby two of said pumps are rendered e'fl'ectively inoperative. Further rotation of said lever 78 will next cause all three of thelower valves to be held off their seats, thus rendering op-. erations of all the pumps ineffective without. however, unseating any of the upper valves in said bores. Means forthus rendering one or more of said pumps effectively inoperative will be seen to be particularlydesirable when three or more pumps are coupled or connected to a common source of power and therefore can only be operated jointly.

' As is well known, it is' not infrequently desirable to have the pressure continuously generated and with substantial uniformity. This ma be accomplished mechanically (see Fig. 6) y connecting the pistons to suitable double cranks 84, 85 and 86. respectively, on a shaft. 87 driving up a pulley 88 or other similar power transmitting means, these cranks being spaced apart. by equal" n'rcs (120 each, where three pumps are employed) with resgect to the circumference of the shaft 87.

taneously relieve the pressure in the ram.

chamber, or all ram chambers if more than one are employed. This he would do by turning the lever 78 through a still greaterarc and thus causing the cam 7 7 to raise the push-tube 24 sufliciently to cause the lower valve having the longest stem-as for instance, the valve 4-2-40 impinge against the valve 45and first unseat the latter.

longer stem of the corresponding upper valveas for instance, the stem 46 of the It will be apparent that with so powerful a device as the one herein shown and described, great pressures may be generated within the ram chambers and, therefore, no little force is required to start theunseating of one of the pressure valves. Obviously, it would require twice the force to simultaneously-unseat two I of said valves and 'threetimes this force to simultaneously unseat all three thereof. By

' applying devices.

varying the lengths of the valve stems, as

hereinbefore described, I first cause at least the partial unseating of one of said upper valves only. Thevinstant that the valve is even to the slightest extent raised from its seat, the pressure is equalized on both sides thereof and its further unseating requires but little 'efl'ort, Subsequently, another or all of said ressure valves may be raised to more rapid y withdraw the liquid from the ram or pressure chambers for the purposes of the removal or readjustment of the rams.

While I have sh Wn and described an apparatus comprisin three pumps and two rams it ,will be apparent that more than three pumps may be employed, and even more apparent that the jolnt pressure of all the pumps may be applied to a single ram or may be distributed through more than two thereof. For all practical purposes,

. however, I have found that three pumps constitute about the maximum number of pressure generators which can be satisfactorily joined for ordinary practical purposes,-

and that while the joint pressures may be at times rendered operable through a single ram, it is the more common practice with these more powerful generators to distribute the generated pressure between two of said An apparatus of thisv character is'more widely employed in exca-- vations which must extend under the foundations of buildings, and in providing both temporary and permanent supports and subfoundations, itis not often practicable to locate a single jack or ram directly under the point at which the pressure must be, applied, but the rams-or jacks must be located one at each side of said point with suitable gripping, bracing, or other connectingmeans therebetween. Under such conditions it will be apparent that the pressures in the ram chambers must be equal and should be simultaneously relieved.

With the three pumps independently actuated, as shown in Fig. 1, they will be,.as a rule, of different capacities, as-hereinbefore suggested. Under these conditions, the largest pump would first be operated, in order to raise the ram or rams to the point of contact with the load, after which the Workman would step to the second pump, operation of which would generate greater pressure at a sacrifice of speed, and when the ram or rams were raised to the point where they receive the full weight of the load, the workman would step to'the smallest and therefore the most powerfulpump which would alone be operated to do the required work.

Many modifications of minor details of my improved hydraulic pressure generating and applying apparatus will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and. I therefore do not desire to limitmy invention to the specific construction and arrangement herein shown and described.

three separate pumps, means apart therefrom for applying the generated pressures, the pump and pressure valves seating downwardly in an individually movable fitting which is provided witlimeans for the manual control of said valves, and means for insuring substantially vertical operation of said valves during use of the device.

3. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate pumps and means apart therefrom for applying the generated pressures, the pump valves seating downwardly in an individually movable fitting which is pro- 'vided with means for successively unseatin said valves to render one or more of sai pumps lnoperative.

4. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate um s, means apart therefrom for applymg t e generatedpressures,

rease the pump valves seating downwardly in an I individually movable fitting which is provided with means for successively unseating said valves to render one or more of said pumps inoperative, and means for insuring substantially vertical operation of said valves while the device in use.

In combination, a plurality of at least three separate pumps and means apart therefrom for applying the generated pressures at a plurality of selective points, the pump and pressure valvesseating downwardly in an individually movable fitting which is provided with means for equalizing the applied pressures and with means for the manual control of said valves.

6. In combination, a plurality of at least three pumps and means apart therefrom for applying the generated pressures, the pump and pressure valves seating downwardly in an individually movable fitting which is provided with means for the manual control of said valves to render one or more of said pumps inoperative, said means being further operable to relieve the pressure at the point of application.

7. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate pumps and means apart therefrom for applying the generated pressures, the pump valves seating downwardly in an individually movable fitting which is provided with means for equalizing the applied pressures and with means for the manual control of said valves to render one or more of said pumps inoperative, said last mentioned means being further operable to relieve the pressure at the point of application.

8. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate pumps, means apart there from for applying the generated pressures, the pump and pressure valves seating downwardly in an individually movable fitting, said fitting being provided with means for equalizing the applied pressures and with means for successively unsea-ting said valves to render one or more of said pumps inoperative and finally. relieve the applied pressures, and means for insuring vertical operation of said valves during use of the device.

9. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate pumps and means apart therefrom for applying the generated pressures at a plurality of selective points, the pump valves seating downwardly in an individually movable fitting, said fitting being provided with valve-controlling means for successively rendering ineffective the operations of said pumps and for equalizing and finally relieving the applied pressures.

10. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressures, separate meansfor applying the generated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said gelmrating mechanisms and to said applying means, said conduits uniting in an individually movable fitting, a source of liquid supply and a conduit therefrom common to each of the-con-. duits from said generating mechanisms, requisite pump and pressure valvesin said conduits and in said fitting, and means for manually controlling said valves.

11. In combination, plurality of at least three separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressures, separate means for applying the generated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said generating mechanisms and to said applying means, said conduits uniting in an individually movable fitting, a source of liquid supply and a conduit therefrom common to each of the conduits from said generating mechanisms, requisite pump and pressure valves in said 0011- duits and in said fitting, and means common to all of said valves for the manual operation thereof.

12. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressures, separate means for applying the generated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said generating mechanisms and to said applying means, said conduits uniting in an individually movable fitting, a source of liquid supply and a conduit therefrom common to each of the conduits from said generating mechanisms, a valve in each of said last-mentioned conduits and in said fitting checking back flow from a pump to said source of supply, valves checking back flow from said pressure-applying means, and means for. first consecutively unseating said first-mentioned valves and subsequently consecutively unseating said last-mentioned valves, in order.

13. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressures, separate means for applying thegenerated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said generating mechanisms and to said applying means, said conduits uniting in an individually mo able fitting, a source of liquid supply and a con duit therefrom common to each of the conduits from said generating mechanisms, a valve in each of said last-mentioned conduits and in said fitting checking back-flow from a pump to said source of supply, valves checking back flow from said pressure applying incans, and means common to all of said valves for first consecutively unseating the valves which check back-flow to the source of supply and subsequently consecutively unseating the valves which check back flow from the pressure applying means.

It. In combination, a plu ality of at least tliree separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressures, separate means for ap plying the generated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said generating mechanisms and to said applying means, said condults uniting in an individually movable fitting, a source of liquid supply and a conmechanisms and to said applying means,

ing mechanisms and to said applying means,

said conduits uniting in an individuallymovable fitting, a source of liquid supply andia conduit therefrom common to each of the conduits from said enerating mechan-- isms, requisite pump and ressure valves in said conduits and in said fitting, all of said valves seating downwardly, means common to all of said valves for the manual control thereof, and means for insuring substantially vertical operation of said valves during use of the device.

16. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressure, separate means for applying the generated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said generating mechan- I isms and to said applying means, said conduits uniting in an individually movable fitting, ausource of liquid supply and a conduit therefrom common to each of the conduits from said generating mechanisms, :1

valve in each of said last-mentioned conduits and in said fitting checking back-flow from the pump to said source of supply, valves in said fitting checking back-flow from all of said pressure applying means, said valves seating downwardly, means for first consecutively unseating said first-mentioned valves and subsequently consecutively unseating last-mentioned valves, in order, and means for insuring substantially vertical operation of said valves during use of the device.

17. In combination, a plurality of at least three separate mechanisms for generating hydraulic pressures, separate. means for applying the generated pressures, suitable conduits from each of said generating mechanisms and to said applying means, said conduits uniting in an individually movable fitting, a source of liquid supply and a conduit therefrom common to each of the conduits from said generating mechanisms, a valve in each of said last-mentioned conduits and in said fitting checking back flow from a pump to the source of supply, a check valve in each of said passages to said pressure applying means, all of said valves seating downwardly, means common to all of said valves for first consecutively unseating the valves checking back flow of the source of supply and subsequently consecutively unseating the valves which check back flow from the pressure applying means, and means for insuring substantially vertically operation of said valves during use of the device.

- JAMES W. NELSON. Witnesses l'l'. Crooner, JAs. Moons. 

